1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to devices for protecting and preventing vegetation growth around trees, and more particularly to those devices, which are also decorative.
2. Description of Related Art
Inhibition of Vegetation
The growth of vegetation around trees is a long-standing problem, particularly on grass lawns around buildings. When the grass directly abuts the trunk of a tree, cutting with a lawn mower is difficult since the rotating blade is shielded by a horizontal shroud or blade cover to prevent unintentional contact of the blade with objects including a person""s hands. The blade is typically two to three inches inside the cover such that when the blade cover contacts the tree, two to three inches of grass are left uncut. This remaining grass is unsightly and must be cut by hand using hand shears or pulled out. Both are very time consuming activities.
One way to solve the trimming problem is to prevent the growth of grass and other vegetation immediately around the trunk of the tree. This is commonly done by piling a material such as mulch, tree bark, or stones around the trunk. Any grass and other vegetation on the ground below the pile does not receive light and thus dies. Furthermore, such materials do not support plant growth well so plants tend not to grow on such material. Such materials are also decorative to add aesthetic appeal to the yard, but tend to get scattered onto the lawn.
In an effort to solve these problems, flexible skirts were developed which replace the piled material. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,001 issued to Crawley. The mulch skirt is formed of a single sheet having a central hole with a radial slit extending to the outer edge of the sheet. A plurality of removable adjustment strips is formed in the sheet around the central hole by successive concentric rows of serrations. The mulch skirt can be custom-fit to the diameter of the tree trunk by removing one or more of the adjustment strips. The mulch skirt can be stabilized by an outer ring and anchor pin, which extend into the ground. The mulch skirt protects the trunk of the tree, but the piled material can still be scattered onto the ground.
Protection of Trees
The protection of tree trunks from damage such as from trimming with lawn mowers when the grass directly abuts the trunk of a tree is also a long-standing problem. In an effort to solve this problem, annular tree protectors made of flexible or semi-rigid materials were developed which are placed around the trunk of the tree. Examples of such tree protectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,502,244; 5,085,001; 4,700,507, and 4,308,688.
A tree protector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,528 issued to Pattyn which is designed to repel salt-containing snow from the base of trees such as those planted along highways. The tree protector includes two molded plastic halves that are fastened together around a tree to form a shallow cone. The tree protector prevents salt from leaching down to the tree roots, and protects the tree from damage from snow and slush piled around the tree. Vandal resistant fasteners retain the molded plastic halves together.
Decorative Tree Protectors
Various features have been added to tree protectors, including some decorative features such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,378 issued to Beatrez. The tree protector has a circular construction made from of a single sheet of plastic. The tree protector has a central hole. A radial slot extends from the hole to an outer rim of the tree protector. An upwardly extending annular wall adjacent the outer rim forms a depressed circular trough immediately adjacent the trunk of the tree for placement of decorative bark, stones, and the like. The outer rim can be buried to anchor the tree protector into the ground.
There is a continuing need for a tree protector which has a more decorative look and which retains the mulch or other such material from being scattered onto the ground. There is a need for a tree protector that can be located on sloping and uneven ground.
1. Advantages of the Invention
One of the advantages of the present invention is that it provides a tree protector that allows trimming around the periphery of the tree protector with a lawn mower yet protects the tree from damage.
A further advantage of the present invention is its provision for a seat, which can be covered when not being used, to preserve the tree protector""s aesthetic appeal.
Yet, a further advantage of the present invention is its adaptability to uneven and sloping ground using a plurality of extendible legs.
Another advantage of the present invention is its decorative appeal using lights and a metal band.
A further advantage of the present invention is the elimination of messy mulch by using a decorative cover, which includes attached mulch.
These and other advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract.
2. Brief Description of the Invention
The present invention comprises a decorative tree protector that is positioned around the trunk of a tree on the surface of the ground. The tree protector shields the trunk from lawn mowers and prevents grass from growing adjacent the protector.
A first embodiment of the tree protector includes a built-in seat. This embodiment comprises a substantially rigid, generally hollow protector body having a top wall and downwardly dependent sidewall. The protector body is preferably of generally round configuration as viewed in horizontal cross-section. It could also take other shapes such as square. The top wall includes a central hole to receive and loosely fit around the trunk of a tree. A radial slit extends from the central hole through the top wall and the sidewall. Opposing portions of the protector body immediately adjacent the slit are separable by flexing the protector body to pass the trunk of the tree into the central opening.
The tree protector further comprises a retaining assembly configured to retain the opposing portions of the protector body together after the trunk of the tree is inserted into the central hole. The tree protector is substantially rigid around the trunk of the tree with sufficient strength to support a seated person. The protector body can include a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs. The protector body preferably includes an annular rim to permit mowing around the protector.
The first embodiment includes a recessed seat formed into the top wall and the sidewall of a sufficient size to receive the backside of a seated person. The recessed seat is covered by a movable seat cover having an open position, which selectively allows access to the seat for a person to sit, and a closed position wherein the recessed seat is covered. The seat cover is hingedly connected to the protector body, being configured to cover the recessed seat and blend in with the protector body such that the recessed seat is substantially not visible.
A second embodiment of the tree protector includes a generally hollow protector body of the same general construction as the first embodiment, but without the built-in seat and seat cover. Therefore, the protector body need not be substantially rigid since nobody should be sitting on the protector body. Rather, the protector body can even be rather flexible such that when a force is applied, the protector body flexes and then reverts to its original shape when the force is removed.
The second embodiment further comprises a decorative device for added attractiveness, such as a flower trough for planting flowers. The decorative device can comprise an electrical lighting assembly having a light source connected to a power source, such as a battery, or a solar panel. The decorative device can further comprise a decorative metallic band, which closely fits around the protector body adjacent the light source. The decorative device can include an external decoration such as bark, mulch, stones, bricks, sand, or plants, which substantially covers the protector body.
A third embodiment of the tree protector includes a generally hollow protector body of the same general construction as the second embodiment, but without the decorative device.
The third embodiment of the tree protector comprises an adjustable height device. The adjustable height device supports the protector body in a level position on uneven and sloping ground. The adjustable height device preferably includes at least three internal legs, which are generally evenly radially spaced relative to the protector body. The legs are connected to internal ribs.
The above description sets forth, rather broadly, the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of the claims. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.